1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an arrangement apparatus for a multi-core round cable, and a method for using the arrangement apparatus to arrange a multi-core round cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Round cables are commonly used in many fields for connecting and communicating two distant electrical devices. To achieve this, a cable end connector is connected with the cable. The connector is electrically connected with a complementary connector in a corresponding electrical device. To correctly connect the cable which has a large number of conductive cores therein with the connector in accordance with a predetermined specification, the cores have insulator of different colors therearound. The cores are put into a conventional arrangement apparatus according to the following sequence. The operator firstly picks up a core corresponding to a first pin of the connector, and puts it into a first channel of the apparatus. Then a second core corresponding to a second pin is put into a second channel, and so on. Finally, a color comparison member is used to check whether the cores are correctly arranged in the predetermined sequence. U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,224 shows a color comparison member 80 adapted to be used with a conventional arranging apparatus.
The above system requires the operator to sequentially select the cores according to the sequence of the pins of the connector Each time the operator needs to select the appropriate core, the operator must find such core in a randomly mixed bundle of cores. This is unduly inconvenient and time-consuming.
Hence an improved system which overcomes the deficiencies of the related art is desired.
An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement apparatus for a multi-core round cable, which allowssimple and quick arrangement of cores of the cable into a predetermined pattern.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for using the arrangement apparatus to arrange a multi-core round cable.
To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an arrangement apparatus for a multi-core round cable. The arrangement apparatus comprises a base and an elongated arranging member mounted thereon. The arranging member includes a plurality of channels and color comparison samples located beside the channels The color comparison samples consist of a series of reference wires each having an insulator with a designated color therearound. The reference wires are arranged in a sequence that corresponds to the arrangement of pins of a connector to be connected with the multi-core round cable. Each reference wire is disposed in alignment with a corresponding channel. The color of each reference wire is the same as the color of the core of the multi-core round cable to be placed in the channel corresponding to that reference wire. An operator can freely pick up any one core and place it in the correct channel simply by matching the color of the reference wire with the color of the selected wire. Similarly, all other cores are placed in the correct channels by repeating the above operation. As a consequence, arrangement of the cores is more convenient and faster.